Greg Hinz On Politics

As the City Council prepares to vote on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed infrastructure bank on Tuesday, a group of aldermen — including Scott Waguespack, 32nd, Brendan Reilly, 42nd, John Arena, 45th, and Leslie Hairston, 5th — submitted their own version, which differs from his in some key ways.

Under the substitute version, the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, or bank, would be wholly "a program of the city of Chicago . . . over which the City Council shall maintain final approval authority over all transactions." Under Mr. Emanuel's version, aldermen would vote only on projects that use city resources, but sister agencies such as the Board of Education and Chicago Transit Authority could act on their own.

Other differences in the alternate version: Aldermen would have to ratify the mayor's choice for chairman of the bank board; the bank would be legally covered by and not just operate in accordance with the state's open meetings and Freedom of Information Act laws, and an independent, outside review would be required of any proposed deal at least 10 days before any vote.

Mr. Emanuel had promised to issue an executive order on the latter. But executive orders can be withdrawn by any mayor at any time.

Meanwhile, top ex-federal prosecutor Dan Webb on Monday morning was named a special prosecutor to probe a 2004 drunken brawl that involved Richard Vanecko, a nephew of then-Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The fight resulted in the death of David Koschman. No charges ever were brought, but Mr. Webb — best known lately for his defense of ex-Gov. George Ryan on federal corruption charges — is charged with finding out whether political or other strings were pulled to protect Mr. Vanecko.

And another Beaubien is running for state rep. That would be Dee Beaubien, the wife of the late Mark Beaubien, R-Barrington Hills.

Mr. Beaubien was a Republican moderate, well to the right on fiscal issues but known for going the other way on social questions including abortion and gay rights.

In announcing her run as an independent, Ms. Beaubien said the man whom Republicans nominated to succeed her husband, David McSweeney, does not share her late husband's philosophy.

Should Ms. Beaubien get the signatures she needs to run in the fall, this race will be a doozy that will tell much about whether Chicago suburban voters are warming up to the tea party or still hold relatively moderate views.

Ms. Beaubien holds a master's degree in counseling psychology from Northwestern University and worked in that field for 30 years. She's also been involved in raising funds for social services groups including Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois.